US to cancel $300m military aid to Pak

Washington, September 3: The US will cancel $300 million in military aid to Pakistan over its failure to take “decisive actions” to support President Donald Trump’s new South Asia policy and act against terror groups like the Haqqani network and Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Pentagon has said.

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The announcement comes just days ahead of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Pakistan to meet the country’s new PM, Imran Khan. The US and others have long complained that Pakistan provides safe haven to militant networks, allowing them to carry out cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon’s move needs to be approved by the US Congress.

Trump has been tough on Pakistan over its inaction against terror groups, saying Washington has got “nothing but lies and deceit” in return for millions of dollars in aid over the years. Trump in August last year had unveiled his new South Asia policy and asked Pakistan to do more against such groups.

The US in January suspended $1.15 billion security assistance to Pakistan, accusing it of harbouring terror groups and showing unwillingness to take “decisive actions”. Pentagon said the US military would aim to spend the money on other “urgent priorities” before the funds expired on September 30.